Night Xc done, I hate those dash lights!

Will Kumley

Will Kumley

Line Up and Wait
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Aug 6, 2019
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Will
Completed a rather uneventful night cross country last night. It was a beautiful night, as I still need more hood time, my instructor had me put the hood on for a bit. The first night flight was great as I was VFR and no hood the whole time. But under the hood, I really started hating the lack of dash lights on the instruments. My attitude indicator, heading indicator, and even airspeed indicator were all virtually dark circles. I could vaguely make out my airspeed as the white needle and white arc gave me a decent idea of where I was. However, the attitude indicator and heading indicators were virtually useless to me.
Call me crazy but I think its odd a person or company would dump so much money into maintenance, upkeep, and improvements of an a/c only to provide crappy dash lights for flying at night. Is this a normal thing in GA that I should be concerned about if I decide to rent a plane in the future for a night flight? Pretty sure if I decide to take this plane back up at night I'll look into getting some sort of glasses with red lights facing forward to help me see things I'm looking at. There is a single red light in the overhead which helps but maybe directed red lights would improve my visibility, and I would look like deadshot from Suicide Squad! :)
 
Buy a head lamp. One with dimming features. Red/white or one of each. I have a year long project going to do a battery powered/low voltage strip that clips on and under any plane's dash. But the headlamp works just fine and thus the reason my project stalled.

Even in a cirrus i still use a headlamp.
 
Big agreement on headlamp. Comes in handy during pre and post flight activities too.

Also not a bad idea to have a small single AAA battery, single LED flashlight on a lanyard around your neck. Works well as an immediate backup that is quick to find.
 
You also did this flight when there wasn't much a moon to help with illumination.

I have had night flights in perfect CAVU and a full moon that illuminated the runway so well, landing lights were just there for the extra safety.
 
I use a visor clip light or headlamp with a red LED option. Point your nose at what you want to see and it's lit. Unfortunately many aircraft have lousy panel illumination and not all instruments are internally lit. Another reason to have EFIS displays. The other option is to get aftermarket LED panel lighting, which is much better than the stock lights. I'm getting G5s in part to deal with night flight. The AI and ASI is nearly invisible without supplemental illumination in my panel.
 
Sounds like this is specific to your aircraft. The 172 I fly/rent has great lighting - panel lights are good when adjusted properly. Red dome light is great for night-vision friendly cabin illumination. So I guess this depends on the plane you are flying?

Like others said, maybe get a headlamp if the instrument illumination is not good after turning the panel light knob up. Just be careful not to kill your overall night vision with some bright white light headlamp.
 
My Cherokee didn't come with lights, just the red overhead light which didn't work all that well to see everything. I bought and installed NuLites which are installed around each instrument.
 
Headlamp with red, prob solved... honest they are great as others have said...
 
Garmin G3x/EIS, G500TXi or G1000NXi. Problem solved.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Yes I did have the dash lights turned all the way up but some indicators just don't have any lights in them to provide backlighting. It definitely sounds like the best option is a cheap headlamp with a red light option or red lights only so I can aim the light as I look at the different indicators. Heck, even if I don't necessarily plan to fly in the dark I may add it to my bag so I have it in case I end up in that situation. Seems simple enough to add a level of safety that would make me feel more comfortable.
 
Timbeck2 said:
My Cherokee didn't come with lights, just the red overhead light which didn't work all that well to see everything. I bought and installed NuLites which are installed around each instrument.
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Yep, I'm using a Cherokee for my training and that little red light in the overhead only gives the illusion that it provides lighting. :)
 
Will Kumley said:
Thanks for all the responses. Yes I did have the dash lights turned all the way up but some indicators just don't have any lights in them to provide backlighting. It definitely sounds like the best option is a cheap headlamp with a red light option or red lights only so I can aim the light as I look at the different indicators. Heck, even if I don't necessarily plan to fly in the dark I may add it to my bag so I have it in case I end up in that situation. Seems simple enough to add a level of safety that would make me feel more comfortable.
Click to expand...
Sometimes maintenance just doesn't look after the lighting too well. What airplane is this?
 
Will Kumley said:
I'd bet it has more to do with the idea that pilots don't write up a gripe or squak for it to be fixed. We just complain about it on an online forum to other fliers. :)
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Maybe because pilots can't see well enough in the dark to write it up because the lighting is inop.
 
Huckster79 said:
Headlamp with red, prob solved... honest they are great as others have said...
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I have a green one - little hard to find, but the magenta on your paper charts are not red light readable. The green light works.

Oh right...I just said paper charts...
 
bflynn said:
I have a green one - little hard to find, but the magenta on your paper charts are not red light readable. The green light works.

Oh right...I just said paper charts...
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Haha, I actually just got a paper chart as a backup. Before my stage check for solo XC flight the chi about had a heart attack when I said I use my phone. Yes I can easily see everything on my phone but I do agree with him that having a backup is a good idea. And a paper chart is cheaper than an iPad.
 
Htaylor said:
I installed one of these in my '65 Cherokee 180. Poor panel lighting solved. NuLites would have been nicer, but this was a good, low priced alternative and worked quite well.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/pilotlightpro.php?clickkey=210978
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If it were my plane I might actually consider something like this. It seemed overpriced to me at first but then I considered the convenience of not needing to carry a headlamp or anything like that. However, as I'm not in the market to purchase a plane anytime soon I think the headlamp option is the best for me.
 
bflynn said:
I have a green one - little hard to find, but the magenta on your paper charts are not red light readable. The green light works.

Oh right...I just said paper charts...
Click to expand...

I have a green one you mount on a finger. Just point it at the instrument you want to read. And, I agree, red light results in unreadable magenta on charts. And I still carry and use paper, too.
 
Ghery said:
I have a green one you mount on a finger. Just point it at the instrument you want to read. And, I agree, red light results in unreadable magenta on charts. And I still carry and use paper, too.
Click to expand...
I forgot about those finger lights. Our F-18 pilots would use them when I was in the squadron.
 
Will Kumley said:
Completed a rather uneventful night cross country last night. It was a beautiful night, as I still need more hood time, my instructor had me put the hood on for a bit. The first night flight was great as I was VFR and no hood the whole time. But under the hood, I really started hating the lack of dash lights on the instruments. My attitude indicator, heading indicator, and even airspeed indicator were all virtually dark circles. I could vaguely make out my airspeed as the white needle and white arc gave me a decent idea of where I was. However, the attitude indicator and heading indicators were virtually useless to me.
Call me crazy but I think its odd a person or company would dump so much money into maintenance, upkeep, and improvements of an a/c only to provide crappy dash lights for flying at night. Is this a normal thing in GA that I should be concerned about if I decide to rent a plane in the future for a night flight? Pretty sure if I decide to take this plane back up at night I'll look into getting some sort of glasses with red lights facing forward to help me see things I'm looking at. There is a single red light in the overhead which helps but maybe directed red lights would improve my visibility, and I would look like deadshot from Suicide Squad! :)
Click to expand...

Congrats Will, I just did mine last night. KSTF to KTCL and back.
 
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